Laketown Spy
by MissAdventurer
Summary: Stephen Colbear, Laketown Spy, along with his wife and two sons. His friends always said his talk against the Master and of elections would get him in trouble. He never thought it would get this far or come to this, spying for the man he disliked most, going against what he wanted and believed. Now he has a front row seat to the destruction of Smaug. Character of Stephen Colbert


**Hey, everyone, this is my first ever Hobbit story. I saw the Desolation of Smaug just a day ago and one of my favorite actor/comedians have a cameo: Stephen Colbert. I had been thinking of writing this before I even saw the movie. I just had to write this. I'm not sure if this is my finest, though I like it for the most part. Any constructive criticism, or review in general, are greatly appreciated. I mean this to be a one shot, though if inspiration hits me and this one is liked well enough maybe I'll do something more. Lastly, I know Stephen Colbert's name is written as Colbear in this story. Just a little differentiation between the real person (and TV character with the same name as his real him) and the cameo character he had. Please review. Enjoy.**

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**Laketown Spy**

He should have seen it coming. He had been spreading word against the Master. He had been trying to encourage an actual vote. Couldn't the rest of the people see what the Master was doing to them? Were they just too afraid to speak out or knew better than to try to? If they were the later, they might have been wiser than him. He wasn't a lot compared to other. Just a man with an interest in news and politics and a good sense of humor, or so he at least like to think. He was a husband and father, which were the two titles that made him proudest. He had a beautiful, loving wife and three truly amazing children, a girl and two boys. He was bookish, liked to read, especially of the places he'll probably never see and things he'll never do. He was a man of Laketown; he was Stephen Colbear.

It wasn't uncommon for him to speak up against what he thought was wrong and do it in his own way. He poked fun of the ones he disliked, and most of his jokes were directed at one man, the Master. He had been told one of these days his humor would go just a bit too far. He just didn't think it'd get _that_ far.

One day the Master had gotten word he had been spreading negative rumors about him, talking against him, and even trying to propose an election. Apparently his boys and wife had been doing the same. His daughter, fortunately, had not been caught and was doing no wrong as far as the Master knew.

He, his wife, and his boys were arrested and taken, not to the jail, but to the Master. The Master had threaten to brand them traitors if their disobedience continued. He had agreed to set them free with no charges to their names, but only, and only if, they agreed to be spies for him whenever he required their service and must spy on whoever he asked, even if were friends. If they refused, they would be banished from the town with only what they could carry on their backs. The Colbears agreed for they had no other choice.

Stephen Colbear spied on a good number of townsfolk over the last several years. At first, he was terrible, and that's being generous. He was tip things over, he was fall on his face, he would ask to blunt of questions, act to suspicious, and he would fall of the walk way, into the water, had to be fished out by those he was assigned to watch, and ended up bedridden with a cold, and that is just in the two weeks. Over time he got better. He got better at finding spots to simply listen to conversation. He would pretend to read a book but listen closely and watch all those around him, flipping the pages at appropriate times (he never forgot what page he had really left off on. He always went back later to actually read it.). He would wear disguises, most commonly his eye patch; some people didn't even recognize him at first glance with it on. And his wife said it was ridiculous. Now who's ridiculous? If his wife asks, it's still him. The four of them even began doing a bit of spying together, giving signals to the others.

He didn't like it, he really didn't, no matter how much work he put into it or the fun he said he had, he didn't like it, but what more could he do? He had to protect them. They had nowhere else to go. Laketown was it. If he could make things better for his wife and kids, he would in a heartbeat, he'd do anything to them. If only the Master would leave, or someone take a true stand. No one would though. The people had lived in fear of the Master for years, some knew no different. The people starved and froze to death. As long as they did as they were told as his spies, the Master would provide them with food for their service and allow them to keep their home. Stephen could never risk it. He would never risk his family's lives just to prove his point. They meant too much to him, even if he felt guilty for leading to the imprisonment of others. There were no winners in this, just survivors and those who lost.

He still spread a bit of word now and then during his down time. He was careful, it was mostly off hand remakes or small 'did you knows' or 'did you hears'. He was careful when he spoke the Master's names. He never brought up living condition. He got aid from the Master for his service while his friends barely got by. He'd be a hypocrite to say you should be able to get by on your own. He knew he was wrong, but he ever refused a task from the Master, he also knew his family would pay the price. No, he only made small talk of elections and flaws in the system. He couldn't be the one to stand up against it. It wasn't his place.

It was late autumn when he and his family had been told among others to watch Bard the Bowman. Stephen knew Bard. When they were younger, his boys would often be seen with Bard's son and his daughter with Bard's daughters, mostly his eldest though the younger lass would tag along on occasions. Those times were long ago. He longed for them. He sat near the boats, adjusting his eye patch, his boys fishing in a small boat, his wife just a small distance away. He started the signal and that would travel and eventually lead to Bard's arrest. Something to do with treason or something or another.

He had seen the dwarves when they were brought before the Master. Thorin, some dwarf of Erebor that apparently was a king, had promised to reclaim Erebor and bring the riches back to Laketown. He wasn't sure what to think of that. The people of Laketown were desperate, but then again, would they even see any of it? Or would the Master take it all, just like he did everything? And then what of the dragon under the mountain? Could they really kill it or would they just waken the dragon and bring its wrath here? Perhaps he should have spoken up for Bard that night. He may have been right all along.

Stephen found out Bard was right a short time later. The dragon could be seen, fire in the night, coming towards Laketown. The dragon was coming. They were going to die. He regretted his work for the Master, he regretted spying on Bard, and not speaking out and standing up for Bard that night. The dwarves may have just lead to the destruction of Laketown and all of their deaths. He watched as the dragon neared and did the only thing he could; he held his wife and children and wish for a miracle to come and save them. Was this how they were to go?

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**Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed. Please review. Later.**


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